Multiplex-stringed musical instrument



(No Model.)

W. D. KYLE.

'MULTIPLEX STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

No. 536,634. Patented Apr. 2, 1895.

WITNESSES: z/ AQff INVENTO/f aryw WW 4 J #13 ATTORNEYS! UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM D. KYLE, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 536,634, dated April 2,1895.

Application filed November 28,1 8 94:. Serial No, 30,208- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM D. KYLE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Fort Wayne, in the county of Allen, in the State of Indiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Multiplex-StringedMusical Instruments; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form partof this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in stringed musical instruments, inwhich are combined the characteristic features of several differentinstruments.

I am aware that stringed musical instruments have heretofore beendevised in which the distinctive features of two or more differentinstruments have been combined for musical effects, but the object of myinvention is to provide a multiplex stringed musical instrument having acommon sounding-board, and a common tail-piece, but having separate anddistinct necks, so arranged that the operator can produce at pleasureall the effects of the guitar, the mandolin, and the banjo, separatelyand not in combination, upon the one instrument in a convenient andefficient manner, thereby saving the expense and incon venience of threeseparate and distinct instruments. I attain this object by the mechanismillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a frontview of my invention showing the relative arrangement of theseparatenecksupontheonesoundingboard. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the muteemployed to suppress the vibrations of the strings upon those necks notin use while the operator is using the remaining one.

The body of the instrument 1 consists of a front or upper soundingboard, the rim 3 shown in section in Fig. 1 and asuitable back of wellunderstood construction, not shown in the drawings. All of the saidparts are made of suitable material, preferably of wood, rigidly unitedand strengthened in the usual manner of manufacturing guitars. The saidbody 1 may be cylindrical, as shown, or oval, or pear shaped like thatof a mandolin, or

any other proper contour. To the upper edge (14) of the tail piece 2 aresecurely attached the strings of the several independent necks. Thistail piece is preferably metallic to stand the increased strain of theseveral sets of strings, and is of sufficient width at its edge 14 toproperly provide an independent attachment for each set of strings onthe several necks, as seen in Fig. 1.

The instrument may be if desired suspended from the neck of the operatorby a cord or ribbon secured to the pin 4 in Fig. 1.

The sounding perforations or openings 5, 6, and 7, are arranged in anyproper manner relative to each other, are of any proper size, and overthem the strings are properly extended, as shown, and are mounted uponthe separate and independent bridges 8, 9, and 10 respectively.

The necks ll, 12, and 13 represent those of three different instruments,viz: a mandolin, a guitar, and a banjo, respectively, each neck beingprovided with a fingerboard, frets, and a head peculiar to theparticular instrument indicated, and the length of the said necks shouldcorrespond to those of the same. The said independent necks are rigidlyattached to the periphery of the body 1 by the usual heel pieces, in awell understood manner as used in the manufacture of guitars, but notshown in the drawings. The middle neck is secured to the said bodypreferably on a radial line, as shown, and the other two necks may beradial with the center of a circle de scribed from the point ofattachment of the tail piece to the body; though any other suitablearrangement thereof relative to the said central radial neck may beadopted. As shown in the drawings each neck is entirely independent ofthe others, and the relative arrangementof the said neck on the saidbody may be varied to suit the taste or convenience of the operator,without departing from the spirit of my invention. Each neck has itsseparate set of metallic strings mounted upon the said bridges asdescribed, and rigidly secured at their inner ends to the edge 14: ofthe said tail piece.

When one set of strings only is playedupon by the operator, as forexample that set used as a guitar, the vibration of the strings upon theother two necks is prevented by the well understood use of a propermute, seen in Fig. 2, which may be any suitable device adapted toprevent vibration, but is preferably constructed as shown, comprising ametallic spring back with parallel jaws to which are secured pieces ofcork or other non-sound conducting material, and so arranged as to benormally in contact and adapted to firmly clasp a set of stringswhenproperly mounted thereon, thereby efiectually preventing vibration ofsaid strings.

Having thus described my invention and the manner in which the same isemployed, what I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is

1. In a stringed musical instrumentof the class described, thecombination of a banjo, a

guitar, and a mandolin, having asingle sound ing body with threeseparate and-independ ent necks rigidly attached to the saidbody eachwith separate head and finger board, one being fashioned and strung likea banjo, one like a guitar, and the remaining one like a mandolin, eachof said necks being provided with a separate set of metallic-stringssecured to its head and to a common tailpiece, as shown, supported byindependent bridges, stretched over separate sounding porforations, allsubstantially as setforth and described.

2. In a multiplex stringed musical instrument, the combination of asingle hollow cylindrical sounding body comp-rising a top sounding boardand a proper back connected therewith by a proper rim edge, as shown,the said body having proper sounding perforations, arranged asdescribed, and the three independent necks each neck with separate headand finger board attached and rigidly secured to said body and providedwith independent sets of strings mounted upon proper bridges and securedto a common tail piece, whereby each set of strings can be used at thepleasure of the operator by suppressing the sympathetic vibrations ofthe remaining sets of strings, all substantially as described.

3. Amultiplex stringed musicalinstrument having three separateandindependent necks each with head and finger board attached and withanin'dependent set ofstrings mounted thereon, and secured to a commontailpiece, so-arranged that from each of the said .setsofstrings may besecured its own independent and characteristicmusical harmony, andhaving means for suppressing the sympathetic vibrations of the unusedsets of strings, all substantially as described.

Signed by me, at Fort Vayne, Allen county, Indian-a, this-24th day ofNovember, A. D. 1894'.

\VILLIAM D. KYLE.

Witnesses:

Gno. F. FnTTs, FLAVIUS .T. YOUNG.

